The return of the hero
by Damian Rancow
Summary: After Po's unexpected death, Viper using ritual, tries to bring her friend back to life, but ends up being pregnant with him. Will she manage to live as a mother?
1. Chapter 1

It was a very rainy day, and everything was in despair, along with inhabitants of the Valley of Peace.

The roads through which most of the time were empty, on this day were full of crowds.

With a reason.

That day the funeral ceremony was held, and despite appearances, it was not a normal funeral.

It was the funeral of a creature whom almost everyone knew in this village. A creature who during life liked to play, eat, work and do everything that any creature considered a normal thing. Panda was completely innocent and by no means deserved death to knock on his door.

He sacrificed himself to save one of his friends. Best friend.

The cremated body of Po was held by his adoptive father. Mr. Ping. More specifically in both of his wings. Master Shifu with Mantis on his shoulder and rest of The Furious Five were following him behind in a row. Po's best friends were crying, but the Tigress was the one, who cried the most.

The poor cat was on the verge of neurosis, as her whimpers were mixing with nervous giggles.

First, her parents left her in the orphanage, then she was underestimated by her master, and now... THAT!

Just behind Tigress, the Viper slid with her head down.

The serpent whispered praying for her sins.

It was Viper's fault that Po saved her from other dangerous creatures, it was Viper's that Panda had deep wounds and finally that was VIPER'S fault, that Po died from injuries.

From the crowd, someone tried to get out. No one was sure who it was until the uninvited guest stuck his head out between the other passers-by in the crowd.

It was a bearded snake. Another Viper. He had bushy grey eyebrows and long moustache with that color.

Great Master Viper.

The serpent at all costs he tried to enter the alley from under the crowd, but he was pushed backwards by others.

The creatures in the crowd seeing him acting unacceptable, laid him on the back, and when he was trying to bit them, they pushed him harder.

"LET ME GO!" Viper's father hissed, and tried to break free from their grip. "I WANT TO THANK MASTER PO FOR SAVING MY DAUGHTER!"

Great Master Viper felt an unexpected squeeze on his neck, and the old man himself was raised up by Rhino Guards.

"NO! PUT ME DOWN!" he yelled, and didn't had enough strength to fight them.

His requests were useless. The Rhino Guards already dragged the old viper away from the funeral mass.

Viper saw this but did not react. She had enough nervousness at this time. She had to say goodbye to her dead friend. More tears appeared in her already tired and red eyes.

She fell down on her limbless body with fatigue, and took a heavy long breath.

Viper's body was emaciated, tired and begged for water. To top it all, she did not eat anything. After Po's death, she fasted and slept most of the time in her room.

Being on the verge of dying, she felt the slender feathers that gently lifted her.

The serpent with rest of her strength looked back.

It was Crane. His conical hat covered his eyes, but Viper could have easily guessed that he was crying too.

"Please… d-do n-not stop moving" he said with trembling voice. "The Thread of Hope is so close"  
"I-I'm t-too t-tired" the female serpent whispered, seeing the rest of her friends stopping in front for a moment to turn back to her. "M-my b-body h-hurts"

The Crane sighed.

"You have to" he said in a firm tone. "F-for Po..."

Viper did not said anything, she just got up slowly and started slid ahead, seeing her friends to start go again.

(Some days later)

"Here you gooo" Viper said to herself, after lighting the last candle. She blew the fire from the match and threw it into the corner.

On the opposite of the snake was a picture of Po, surrounded by candles lit by her earlier.

Viper however was kneeling, her head sticking with floor. It looked like she was praying

After her smiling muzzle, it was possible to state that she had made an altar, but the truth was completely different.

After a while, she slid closer to her bed and pulled out a small wrapped brown sack from beneath it. Her reptile eyes looked at it with precision, from top to bottom.

"I promise Master Po" she hissed with satisfied tone with lidded eyes. "I will bring you back to life"

She came back to the "altar" and using her tail, she removed the rope in which the bag was wrapped. The contents dropped just before the picture.

It looked like powder and consisted of ashes. The powder fact was true, but it was not ash.

Let's say that the Viper during the funeral of the panda, "borrowed" some of the powder from the vase with Po's remains., before it was sprinkled out of the bridge (on which Tigress fought with Tai Lung) straight into the void.

Using a blade the female serpent kept in her tail and specially prepared for the occasion, she began to bury it in the ashes of her friend.

At that moment one could easily guess that she was doing the rite.

"Come back to life, to the light" she said, burying sharp knife deeper into ash.

The viper after saying these words, dropped the knife, and began to feel a throbbing pain in her stomach. So strong that it forced her to lie on her back. The serpent felt like something was moving in her belly. She never felt such a strong pain in her life. Her reptilian eyes filled with tears, feeling something forming in her enlarging uterus.

The poor creature could not get up anymore, and the only thing she could do at that moment was to lie on her already hard, spherical, scaly stomach.

The serpent screamed one more time and lost consciousness in front of her "altar".


	2. Chapter 2

Viper awoke gasping for air, and raised her head up. She laid in her bed. A soft and fluffy bed.

The female serpent looked on the right side of her bed, where she had the altar before, on which she did the ritual. It was completely empty there.

She herself was covered with warm linen, which meant that she was back in her barrack. When she had the feeling that this entire ritual was just an ordinary bad dream, Viper heard a knock.

"C-come i-in" the snake said with shaky tone.

The door slowly expanded, and the light that lurked there began to burn her eyes, which she quickly closed. Even if she had the feeling it was just a dream, she felt very weak.

At the door she saw her best friends and master Shifu, which in comparison to them he looked depressed.

"You are… feeling better?" The Tigress asked first, stepping closer to the Viper and knelt beside left side of her bed.

The serpent looked with surprise at the feline.

"B-better?" the female serpent asked.

The crane was second one, who came closer to his friend. His hat was missing, while there was sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah, when we found you at the altar, you were very weak, as if you've been through several typhoons"

The viper felt more and more stupid, still understanding nothing. "What?"

"You don't need to know more" Mantis jumped on Viper's head, and gingerly massaged her head with his tibial spines. "You just need to be calm for your unborn baby"

The viper blanched, and her vertical eyes became even thinner. She quickly removed the quilt and looked at her own belly. The insect seeing this, quickly jumped off her head.

It was round and spherical at the same time. as if her stomach had become a mountain or the green hill.

It was the moment when the female serpent realized that it was not a dream or a waking life. She really did the rite. Her mouth began to tremble nervously, while her almost invisible pupils could not break away from her stomach. She also began to babble vehemently.

Mantis jumped on the belly of his scaly friend and looked at it.

"It does not look so bad" The insect commented it with a chuckle. "You will have a small beautiful snake hatchling… right Monkey?"

The monkey gulped with anxiety, and whispered.

"I don't think it's a good moment for that, Mantis"

"Haha, It's weird to hear that kind of words from your mouth" Mantis laughed, but this didn't stand long.

The female serpent screamed so strong, that she blew out Mantis without any problem like the wind out from her stomach. It stunned all her roommates.

Despite her screams, she could hear Master Shifu shout to the rest of her friends to calm her down.

Tigress, who was kneeling next to the young snake mother of an unborn child, pressed her to her bed with all her might.

Viper feeling that she can do nothing to fight with Tigress' might, with her big scaly belly. She started to cry.

"Shhh, calm down Vip" the feline whispered with soothing voice, still holding her paws on the serpent's head. "Everything is gonna be ok, just… be... calm"

Tigress gingerly pressed her other paw to Viper's fully grown uterus.

"You need to be calm for your unborn hatchling" the feline said, still massaging Viper's belly.

The female snake did not said anything. She was already sleeping thanks to Tigress' soothing tone.

(Some time later)

Viper slowly opened her eyes again. She still had tears in her teal eyes.

Her friends probably had to leave her barrack while she was still asleep. She knew it was not a dream anymore, because her stomach was burning like hell.

"You're finally awake" she heard a deep and harsh voice next to her. Viper then looked on that side.

The elder red panda sat cross-legged on the wooden floor. His green towel-looking robe compared to nobles or monarchs, was elegantly arranged on the more normal brown robe. He was also drinking tea.

"M-Master S-Shifu… I..." Viper stuttered, but she felt him placing finger on her muzzle, as if her former master did not want her to say anything at all.

"I'm asking questions right now" he slowly murmured, and quickly, like an ostrich took his finger off her lips.

He put the cup next to him.

His eyes gazed with serious expression at his former student, probably wanting to tell her something. The female serpent could guess that he was mad at her.

"What do you have for your justification?" Shifu asked first, already knowing something.

Viper shook her head, and looked back at the red panda.

"I'm sorry master, but I don't understand what do you mean"

He looked at the big belly of his student for a split second.

"Are you holding Po?"

The Viper's face went pale once again, but this time it was so pale that one might think that it had gone out into the cold before.

"Pardon me! but I still don't get it, what do you mean master"

Shifu sighed.

"Maybe I'll tell you what you did" he began, with anger growing in his voice "First! You stole Po's ashes from a vase during his funeral and then, you made a illegal rebirth ritual, which punished you with holding the previously deceased one!"

Viper was silent, while tears were rolling down her cheeks. To all this, her womb hurt.

"Now you will have to live through this" Shifu continued, but this time calmer. "Until it's all over"

Viper still holding tears in her eyes, looked at her former kung fu master.

"T-That m-means… Po will return?"  
"Of course, he will" Shifu nodded. "But he will be different"

The small red panda laid his small paw on snake's belly.

"He will be viper just like you, in other words, your son"

Viper sadly sighed, seeing Shifu was already heading for the door to the corridor.

However, she remembered something.

"Do my friends know that it's Po?" she asked.

Shifu shook his head.

"No and to make it clear, it has to stay between us"

Viper nodded.

"O-ok, m-master"

The snake was still watching the red panda leave her room, then there was silence.


	3. Chapter 3

After leaving the Viper's room, Shifu walked through the interior. He heard a conversation going on there. The conversation sounded calm, which encouraged the elder red panda to enter the kitchen.

At the beginning, his old students did not notice him, showing that they were still conversing while sitting at a large wooden table.

Tigress sat with Crane on the left side of the table, their eyes glued to Monkey and Mantis sitting on the right side of the furniture. A small insect, as usual, to be visible, sat on the table instead of a chair.

On the slimmest sides of the furniture, there were empty chairs facing each other. The other empty chair, formerly belonged to... Po.

Master Shifu coughed to get the attention of his old disciples.

The rest of The Furious Five looked at the source of the sound. They quickly got up when they saw their former master at the door.

"I'm sorry master" Tigress bowed first, and his three students after her. "We didn't notice you are here"  
"Don't worry, nothing bad happened" Shifu bowed with a smile. "I would like to talk with you"

Four students sat back to their places, a little bit moving away, causing chairs they sat on, to shuffle.

The elder red panda climbed into a chair opposite his former students.

"Master?" Monkey asked. "Would you like to talk about what happened to the Viper few hours ago?"

Shifu coughed again, and laid his small paws on the wooden table.

"Yes" he nodded. "Did you inform Viper's father about her pregnancy?"

Crane shook his head.

"No master" the bird said. "We need the Viper's consent to let him know"  
"To top it all, she is too nervous for us, to make any contact with her" Mantis added.

Shifu squeezed his eyebrows.

"Great Master Viper must know about his daughter's pregnancy" he said firmly. "Even against her will"

Shifu and his three students then looked at Tigress.

Her feline head rested against her paws while her elbows were resting on the table.

"Tigress?" Crane leaned his right wing on the back of his friend. "Are you alright?"

The feline looked at her friend with sadness.

"It's nothing" she said with a sad tone. "I just... I do not believe that Po is gone"  
"We are all missing him" Shifu sighed. "His culinary talent, funny temper and his warmness"

In the kitchen there was a momentary silence

"Tigress? Have you loved Po?" Monkey asked with a smirk.

Tigress slowly raised her head towards the monkey.

"I did not loved him as you think" the feline corrected him. "I loved him as an close friend, but not someone special"

Crane hearing this, giggled with a blush and planted a kiss on Tigress' head. Feline feeling this, punched him in the eye.

The poor creature fell from his chair on his back.

"What was it for?" he asked, massaging his punched eye.  
"Do not allow yourself too much now Crane, I'm still in mourning" she said, until on her cheeks appeared a tomato blush. "Maybe you'll get better with me later"

Crane chuckled, still massaging his eye.

Master Shifu sighed, and looked on rest of his former students.

"Today, inform Viper's father that he has a grandson on the road" he spoke. "Hearing from the Viper's stories about how he loves her, I think he would come here fast"

Crane quickly got up on his sharp legs and looked at his former master.

"Master, How do you know that this is a boy?" the bird asked. "After all, the Viper has not yet given birth"

Shifu chuckled.

"Trust me, It will be a boy" he smirked. "Now we only have to send one volunteer to the Viper Village"

Tigress rose from her chair, resting her paws on a wooden table. "I will go there!"

The eyes of Master Shifu and three creatures went back to the feline.

"Are you sure about this Tigress?" Crane asked. "It is a bit far"

Tigress waved her arm.

"You have nothing to say" she then turned her eyes on Master Shifu. "What do you think about this master?"

The small elder red panda shrugged. "I do not see any obstacles"

Tigress came closer to the red panda and bowed to him. He also bowed to her.

She then turned to her friends. "Promise me that you will take care of the Viper if she starts to give birth"

Crane, Monkey and Mantis bowed in unision.

"We promise"

Tigress smiled, and ran out of the door.

(Meanwhile in Viper's room)

Viper was not sleeping this time, as her eyes were directed at the ceiling. The words of her former master hit her like a bolt of light. Her head was full of questions. Did she really hold Po in her womb? What if Po will born disabled? What if Po will did not remember his previous life?

She was most afraid of one thing.

What if her father will be angry at her?

"Please Viper, you need to calm down" she whispered to herself, but more sweat was pouring out of her scaly forehead. "For your only hatchling"

Although her own father loved her, she was afraid of how he would react to his own grandson. She was not afraid for her mother, because Viper knew she would've easily accept her newborn grandson. Her younger sisters always wanted to become aunts, not knowing what responsibility it is.

Only the matter with her father was troubling her. He was a hard type. The leader of Viper Clan, and protector of his own village.

If he found out that he was expecting a grandson, he would probably have too much on his mind.

She would imagine that he would disown her for having a child. and worst of all, he would cease to recognize her as a daughter.

The female serpent sighed and chuckled after this.

He could not stop loving her, she was his beloved daughter.

She raised her head when she felt the most terrible pain. It was the most painful pain in her entire life.

That terrible pain came from her uterus.

The labor begun.

The viper grinded her teeth just to keep from shouting.

During the birth, it was not allowed to cry or shout, because you could bring the unclean souls on yourself.

It was unpleasant for her, knowing that she could not shout to call her friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Silence returned to the kitchen. Shifu was looking at his old disciples, and his old disciples were looking at him.

They all became quiet, even though the Tigress had left the Jade Palace only a few minutes earlier.

"Master Shifu?" Mantis was the first one, who broke the silence. "How about letting us visit the Viper at the moment, and check how she feels?"  
"Maybe she is starving right now and needs something to eat" Crane stated with more confident tone. "I think we should bring her something to eat"

Then something happened that nobody would have expected.

On Shifu's lips appeared a soft smile.

"I'm sure she is feeling okay" Shifu said, slowly descending from a high chair so as not to hurt himself. "But sometimes you have to check to be sure about that"

When the little red panda despite the hardships came down, he turned to the door to the corridor. He gazed back at his former students.

"Take some food and follow me"

The old pupils did as he wanted. From the table they took the food they had at hand, and they quietly rose from the chairs.

Crane took large plate with dumplings arranged in the group made by him especially for Viper this morning, but he could not give it for Viper because her panic attack had thwarted all his plans. For everything be clear, Monkey helped him arrange a plate of dumplings on the back of the avian, so that he does not bother his wings, while Mantis settled on the plate of delicacies, as he himself said "He wanted to guard it from others to be sure Viper will eat everything"

Shifu snapped his fingers to give a sign for the boys to follow him.

The avian with plate of dumplings and the small insect "guarding it" on his feathery back, when Monkey stood right behind him in the row.

Master Shifu began to head to the corridor with barracks, his three students following right behind him.

The corridor with the students' rooms became unimaginably dark from the shadows. It's only good that the lamps hung on the walls were sharing enough light for the household members. Otherwise, there would be a problem with moving around.

They stopped just by the Viper's room, and looked at eachother.

"We must develop a plan" Monkey whispered. "Our visit must be surprising for her, as it happens with pinata"  
"Better not" Crane replied with anxiety, waving his both wings "A greater amount of stress for her could speed up labor"  
"It's likely" Shifu added. "Maybe it's better to check if she is asleep"

Crane looked at his old master with exasperation.

"Maybe I have a long neck, but I do not have a great eyesight"

The elder red panda shook his head.

"That's not what I mean my student" he chuckled, catching his own mouth with both paws "It was more about something else"

Monkey raised his eyebrow.

"So what did you mean, master?" he asked.

Shifu sighed, closing his eyelids.

"What do you say about sneaking up there quietly?"

Monkey giggled.

"And this Master Shifu I always liked"

The elder red panda put a finger to his lips, and whispered "You need to be quiet, she is probably asleep"

The monkey became silent, pretending with his hands to slide his lips like a slider.

Shifu moved closer to the door of the Viper's room and with his paws, moved it slowly. Thanks to his experience, he opened them almost without a hint of sound. However, he only moved the door halfway.

He put his head through the open space, and looked around Viper's student barrack, like it was a room in a museum.

The viper itself slept while being covered with a blanket that she had already been covered by her friends earlier. Her serpent head gingerly laid on a pillow.

Master Shifu quietly waved his hand so that the three boys behind him, would have better freedom of movement. He even quietly stepped away from the door, so that his students could enter her room.

Crane looked around to find a place where it would be best to put down a plate of delicious dumplings. He stopped right next to his scaly friend.

Mantis slowly jumped off the avian's back and looked around too. The small insect jumped closer to his former master and Monkey.

"Have you found something interesting?" Mantis asked looking up. "Something? Anything?"

Monkey shrugged, while Shifu knelt down to look closely at the small insect just below him.

"We did not come to spy on the Viper" Shifu stated with firm expression. "We just bring her food, that's all"

The elder red panda was kneeling so low that he reached Mantis with his mustache, under which pressure Mantis sneezed. It was, fortunately, a very quiet sneeze, inaudible to Viper.

Without saying anything, Shifu put his finger to his lips again. This time it was a message to Mantis to be quiet.

The small green insect shrugged and jumped next to Crane's feet. The tall avian was not moving, just staring with scared eyes, and nearly opened beak.

"Hey bro" Mantis asked in a whisper, tapping the bird's legs, to make him pay attention. "Are you ok up there?"

The avian was not answering the questions of his friend. His eyes would not even break away from his sleeping serpent friend. he began to shake more.

"Master?" Monkey asked Shifu. "Do you think that the Great Master Viper will be able to come before the birth of his grandson?"  
"Most likely" the elder red panda nodded with a smirk. "That would be terrible on his part if he ignored what is most important to him"

Crane finally freed himself from the trance.

"I don't think Viper's father will see birth of his grandson" The avian calmly spoke, but his eyes were still laid on sleeping Viper.

He did not have to look to feel the eyes of his friends on him.

"She already gave a birth"

Crane stepped back, to let others have a chance to look at the sleeping snake.

You could see, that her belly was back to normal, while something white and spherical was lying right next to her.

Everything became clear.

The young mother hugged the small egg she had released earlier. It looked like the female serpent managed to deliver the baby alone, without anyone else's help. After her hard work she simply fell asleep with a smile on her muzzle.


	5. Chapter 5

Tigress wandered through the path and gazed around the houses around it. The viper inhabitants seeing a dangerous looking mammal, quickly locked themselves in their huts and pulled up the curtains on the windows. They even took their young ones, who with interest in their eyes wanted to look at the young adult feline.

Tigress, not wanting to scare more residents, decided to just go ahead and ignore them. At the moment she had more important things on her mind. The wind swayed her fur, as Tigress' expression was the same as usual. Serious and gloomy.

Tigress remembered this place. She came there a long time ago to recruit the Viper to her group. Ah, how fast time flies and now, who would have expected that Viper will have a hatchling, being in her early 20s.

Tigress must have unwittingly obstructed cleaning the village, as evidenced by scattered brooms on the road. Well, it must have been some time since the Great Master Viper protected his village from hostile "visitors".

By the way about Viper's family.

As the Tigress remembered well, the Viper together with her family lived in a large house on a hill next to the ravine.

It was already the moment when the cat was already on the edge of normal land with mountainous terrain.

And so it was now. Great Master Viper's mansion was standing in the same place as before, with trees covering this back half, but it was not important.

This place in the eyes of the Tigress was as beautiful as years earlier.

Tigress began to climb slowly, raising her head towards the house. The hill through which she passed was still safe enough for the feline to refuse using claws for climbing.

As she climbed up on her feet, the Tigress thought.

She thought about how would Viper's father react to having a grandson on the way, would he love his grandson at all?

She thought until she nudged her head at the closed door. Catching her head, she looked ahead.

The feline was already in front of Viper's house.

She let breath out and knocked in the door.

Tigress heard lock sounds from the door and saw how slowly it opened.

A small serpent stood just behind the wooden door, It was a girl because of two small lotus flowers that also wore a Viper. It must have been a preschooler, because she only reached the legs of a Tigress.

"Who are you ma'am?" the young viper asked first and stepped a little back. "You are not from here"

Tigress seeing small confused female serpent, smiled and knelt down, which only frightened the young creature more.

"I'm your sister's kung fu friend" the feline replied with a smile from just gazing at the young viper.  
"Y-you know m-my older sister?" the young female serpent asked with a stutter. "I have not seen her most of the time"

The feline giggled, just hearing how Viper's sister innocently sounds.

"Believe me, you will see your beloved older sister again"

The young viper slid back.

"Dad? Someone came to you!" she shouted to the opened large door next to her. Probably to Living Room.  
"Who is it?" Tigress heard a gruff voice coming from there.  
"I don't know!" she answered back. "She says that she is my older sister's kung fu friend"

The feline heard a jump and sounds of shuffling on the floor. She also saw a widening shadow on the floor.

It only took a moment to see an old man with a mustache and bushy eyebrows at the door. His eyes were green, while two broken fangs protruded from his muzzle. The old snake looked surprised.

Tigress bowed first, before Great Master Viper could react.

"Greetings Great Master Viper" she said during her bow.  
"M-Master Tigress?" the old male viper did not hide his shock. "I apologize for this behavior, but I did not expect your visit"

The feline looked eye to eye with an old snake.

Viper's dad bowed.

"My condolences, I only had the chance to meet the Master Po once" he stated, as a tear fell from his eye. "He must have greatly appreciated friendships, since he saved my daughter from danger"

Tigress did not said anything. Her eyes turned to sad.

Great Master Viper looked at his younger daughter, with a serious expression.

"Bring something to eat, maybe Master Tigress is hungry" he said, but the feline waved her both paws.  
"I do not need anything to eat" she chuckled, rubbing back of her head. "I just came here for a moment"

Great Master Viper fixed his mustache, and hissed.

"It would be a shame if I could not make my guest happy" he said firmly. "It's our tradition to feed nice guests"

Viper's sister nodded, and without saying a word, slithered into the pantry room.

As soon as the little snake left the corridor, Viper's father waved its tail.

"Follow me Master Tigress"

Tigress nodded reluctantly and began to follow the old snake, she had to admit that the interior has not changed since she once was here. The same walls, wooden floor and furniture as before. It seemed that from that moment, the father of Viper took care of it.

Even the living room was the same.

There were the same pictures on the walls like few years earlier, the same decorations as before and the same wooden red chair on which the Great Master Viper sat down right now.

"Please sit and say what brings you here" The old viper finally spoke, sitting in a shaded place on his chair. "Does this concern the fact that Master Po saved my daughter?"

The Tigress sat cross-legged against the older Viper.

"Not really" the feline shook her head. "It's about something completely different"

Great Master Viper raised his eyebrow and smirked.

"I'm listening"

Tigress felt strange and did not know what to start, when she saw how self-confident and proud of himself seemed to be Viper's father.


	6. Chapter 6

Viper slightly opened her beautiful blue eyes, and took a breath. Finally it was all over. Her newborn baby finally came to the world, after her several-minute torture. Two lotus flowers on her head have withered because of sweat

The female serpent planted a kiss on her newborn's egg, as her eyes turned to it.

Her eyes were still weak because of the labor, so she did not even notice that someone was sitting in her barrack. Honestly, she did not even care, her own eyes were sunk on the egg well. Her blindness was only temporary.

Master Shifu and the three boys of The Furious Five also noticed that the Viper woke up.

Crane who was closest, knelt down and began to stroke the serpent on its whole scaly body, unintentionally causing her to be confused. Monkey and Mantis also joined the stroking

The poor creature was too weak after childbirth to defend herself, but after a sharpened sense she recognized that it was her friends.

"C-C-Cr-Crane?" she murmured. "I-Is t-that y-you?"

The avian gave Viper a soft smile, as he offered a plate of dumplings under her nose. The female serpent did not protest. As soon as an amazing smell of meat filling passed through her nostrils, she began to savor the smell more.

"M-Meat d-dumplings" she whispered, licking her lips. "M-m-my f-f-favourite"

It took only a second for the Viper to swallow dumplings one by one, completely forgetting about manners. However, this did not bother Master Shifu, who taught his pupils with works for years. He knew, that she had just felt the effects of the hardest work on her.

Motherhood.

"Don't stop eating my student" the elder red panda came closer and gingerly caressed female serpent's head. "You deserved this long-awaited meal"

The viper did not react to the words Shifu said, her taste buds at that moment savored tasty food, which then wandered through her stomach.

"D'aaaaww" Monkey cooed. "Our scaly friend looks lovely when she eats"

"I know right?" Mantis joked, jumping on Monkey's shoulder. "I think her whole body is the stomach itself"

Both Crane and Monkey looked at the small insect.

"I mean it…" he corrected himself, feeling the eyes of friends on him. "In positive way"

Shifu only rolled his eyes, and looked back at eating Viper. The snake had to be very hungry, but she did not give advice anymore, as evidenced by the fact that she lay back on her bed. There were only three dumplings left on the plate.

Mantis came closer to the plate.

"Can I eat the remains?" the insect asked, coming closer, intending to bite the piece, but before he could do anything, Shifu took his plate from before the head.  
"Forget about it" the elder red panda stated. "I will hide it to the pantry so that the Viper can eat it later"

Mantis lowered his little head down, but after a while he sighed and looked back at his former master.

"Fine, I'll try to make myself happy, by eating noodles later"

Master Shifu fixed his mustache and shrugged.

"It's good that you understood how much your friend needs rest"

The small insect bowed and along with his other friends saw, how the small and elder red panda left the room, then he turned his gaze on the Viper, specifically what laid beneath her.

The small and white egg.

"Hey, I wonder who is the father" the insect spoke. "Viper did not say that she loved someone"

Monkey tapped his chin. "I actually agree with you"  
"Hm, I know what both of you actually mean" Crane was the second one, who showed interest in the father of the Viper's not hatched child.  
"Is it not strange to you that her belly grew after Po's death?" Mantis stated with raised eyebrow. "And what if... Our beloved panda is the father of a child?"

Everyone in the room fell silent.

It sounded strange to all the boys in the group, like a bad joke. Strangely, Mantis was serious when he said that.

"That's ridiculous" the avian crossed his wings. "I have not heard the situation so that the snake would have a child with a panda"  
"But did you see how Po was sticking to the Viper?" Monkey cackled, remembering some situations. "He probably learned about his beloved's pregnancy and tried to protect her from threats"

Crane looked around in both directions with nervousness. "You're crazy!"

Monkey wrapped his arm around confused bird and drew him closer.

"These are the facts" he whispered into his bird ear. "And you will not change it"  
"I'll be hanged if I know" the avian replied with discomfort. "After all, Po did not look nervous, being right next to our scaly friend"  
"Our Panda was a master, he had to camouflage somehow" Mantis answered without hesitating, being sure of his opinion.

Silence returned to the Viper's room. The answer baffled poor avian.

"M-maybe you're right" Crane said hesitantly, "I would not be surprised if Po had a paternal Instinct"

Monkey and Mantis looked at eachother, then their gaze returned back at Crane.

"So you accept the theory that Po is the father of this kid?" Monkey asked with a smirk. "Are you with us?"

Monkey stuck his hand towards the avian.

"I will ask again" the mammal pushed. "Are you with us?"

Crane looked down at Monkey's hand. He hesitated again.

The avian was not sure how to behave. He did not want to ask the Viper who was the father of her child, and on the other hand, he was very curious who was the father of her child. Fortunately, Crane has already made the decision.

The bird avoided its two friends and headed towards the door, also avoiding to make a stupid clown from himself. Monkey and Mantis only stared at him with disbelief.

"W-what?" Mantis' eyes widened in shock. "I thought you were with us!"

Crane turned back to them with a smile.

"I support your theory, but I have no obsession with it"

Then he left, leaving the confused two near the sleeping Viper.


	7. Chapter 7

Crane went into the kitchen and sat in a single chair opposite to the master Shifu, who looked thoughtful, The eyes of the little red panda were directed to the table, and more specifically to the evenly cut wooden table casing. Master Shifu seemed absent.

The avian put the right wing on his own head. He remembered his savoir-vivre etiquette, which ordered him to take off his conical hat while sitting at the table, but he felt only feathers that elegantly protected his head.

In short, he realized that he had removed his hat earlier.

"Why do not you watch over your friend, my student?" the small elder red panda asked, causing a bird to jump, fixing his mustache. "Do you want to talk to me about something?"

Crane laughed nervously, feeling uncomfortable sitting in front of his former master.

"Not exactly" he replied. "It's just Monkey and Mantis that upset me"

Master Shifu took his eyes off the table and directed them toward the avian. A smile was visible on his lips, while his large ears lifted.

"Really?" the red panda asked with a smirk. "What did they tell you?"

The bird shrugged and with a raised head gazed at his former master.

After a moment, however, he burst out laughing.

"They told themselves that Po was..." he laughed and closed the eyes, unable to catch a breath. "...that unhatched infant's father"

Crane opened his eyes and looked at Shifu, what was his surprise when he saw that the red panda was not laughing, and only stared at the bird with blank expression.

"Master?" Crane asked, just seeing Shifu with confusion on his face. "Does not that sound ridiculous?"

The elder did not answered. At the moment he had a large rush of thoughts, who was travelling around his mind. He did not understand how Monkey and Mantis came up with the idea that this whole situation was connected with Po. And the worst was that their theory was correct… Well… Almost correct.

"THAT'S A NONSENSE!" Shifu changed his personality so as not to let anyone know, that he is shocked, scaring the avian in front of him. "Who saw it that someone would think like that?"

As soon as he calmed down and looked ahead. The chair was empty, as Crane disappeared from his sigh.

"Crane?" the elder small red panda asked, gazing around the kitchen.

A small head with a long neck began to emerge from the table, the long beak pointed upward became visible after a while.

"I'm h-here" the avian said with trembling tone, after Shifu's explosion. "Master"

Shifu scratched his head. "What did I finish wi-?"

Suddenly the door to the Jade Palace opened, asking for the attention of the red panda and the avian.

They both saw a dark figure there, the orange eyes of this thing were the only visible thing, because they were shining.

"Crane… come here…" the red panda whispered to Crane, who at his request... hid under the table.

Shifu facepalmed, and looked at mysterious creature in the door.

The person began to come closer through the door, causing even more fear from the master and his former student.

The mysterious figure has already come enough to reveal itself.

Shifu breathed a sigh of relief and peeked under the table.

"You can go out"

The avian once again stuck his head. His cheeks flushed, when he saw, who was that.

"Tigress?" Crane asked. "You scared me!"

Tigress rolled her eyes.

"Whatever" she replied. "You need to help me right now with this guy right over there"

She pointed to her back on which someone was lying. There was a serpent on her back. A male, because his long grey mustache fell to the feline's elbow. He also had huge gray eyebrows, so bushy that they reached the Tigress' muzzle.

The feline at that moment tried to take it off herself, but the unconscious viper was very hugged to the girl's back.

"Great Master Viper?" the elder red panda's eyes widened, as he recognized the unconscious serpent. "What happened to him?"

Tigress sighed, "He fainted"

Crane raised his eyebrow. "Fainted?"

"Yes" the feline replied. "He fainted, when he heard he is going to become a grandfather"

Shifu also did not intend to remain silent.

"Why did you bring him here unconscious?"

The feline shrugged, still holding her both paws on sleeping creature on her back. "The master did not say not to take him, if he fainted"

The elder red panda crossed his eyebrows.

"It does not matter now" he sighed. "The most important thing is that he will still be able to see how his grandson will hatch"

Master Shifu, Crane and Tigress along with Great Master Viper on her back went towards the Viper's room.


	8. Chapter 8

"D-dad" Viper gurgled, seeing her father laying on Tigress' back, as her eyes became watery from stress. "DADDY!"

Monkey and Shifu were holding the female serpent, so that it would not try to attack Crane, who at that moment took off the unconscious old reptile. Viper cried sharply, feeling that they wanted to hurt her parent.

To free herself from the grip and "save" her father. The snake bit the monkey in his hand. Monkey did not shout in pain.

"Eugh" he cooed, dropping saliva lying on his limb. "If you wanted to hurt me with your gums, you did it"

The viper was too worried about her father to remind her that she was born without fangs and venom… so she kept biting her friends.

"What should we do to stop her doing it?" Monkey asked. "My fur sticks because of her dribble"  
"Don't worry my student, I already have an idea" the elder red panda smirked, letting the Viper out of his grasp.

Shifu removed a green robe from his brown kimono and looked at the monkey.

"Hold her tight, that she would not fidget her head" he came closer.

Monkey did as his former master ordered, squeezing the head of his friend so that she would not try to attack anyone, while Shifu approached her.

Putting a robe on the muzzle of a female serpent was not a problem for Shifu. Thanks to his kung fu skills, it was not a problem for him. Before everyone saw, the Viper did not attack anymore wearing a green rag on her narrow muzzle.

She finally stopped throwing. No longer having the energy to attack, she folded herself into a ball.

There were more tears in her eyes.

When Viper thought it was all for nothing, her unconscious father was placed next to her, leaving the egg hidden between their scaly bodies. She then felt someone's touch caressing her chin. Her eyes rose up in the direction of someone's breath.

That was Tigress. The way the feline looked at the serpent was unusual. Her pupils looked like they were enlarged, and her face was sad from pity. She took the form of a small defenseless kitten. On her lips appeared a soft smile.

Tigress knew that she had to be gentle with young mothers.

"Your daddy will be fine" she told. "He is just…"

The feline tapped her chin, before gazing back at crying Viper. After a moment, she came up with an idea for a honest answer

"Fell asleep, during the travel"

Tigress thought again, before giving the answer again.

"Yes! Fell asleep" the feline nodded with a nervous giggle.

Speak of the devil. Great Master Viper was slowly waking up.

"What should we do?" Crane asked, seeing Viper's dad awakening. "Should I use my kung fu punch for him?"

"NO!" Shifu nervously advised. "He has slept long enough"

Crane, on the orders of his old master, stepped back.

The old reptile slowly opened his green eyes and looked ahead. He had no problems to recognize who lies in front of him.

"M-my p-p-pride" he stuttered with tears flowing from his eyes. "My daughter is a mommy"

Viper was silent. Without words she hugged her parent very much, causing him to blush. The old man did not expect such emotions from his daughter, but he could hear her crying.

"Shhh" Great Master Viper cooed, nuzzling his daughter's head, near her wilted lotus flowers. "I'm not angry at you"

They both broke the hug, to look at eachother.

"Why do you wear a cloth on your muzzle?" he asked, bringing his tail closer to take it off. "You're more beautiful without it"

The rest of The Furious Five and Master Shifu looked with a smile, looked at reunification of daughter and father. Great Master Viper has already removed the robe from his daughter's muzzle.

"It's better now" the elder serpent chuckled, before looking back. "We have not seen for a long time, Master Shifu"

The red panda rubbed back of his neck with a soft smile.

"It's good to see you too, Great Master Viper"

Despite his age, the old serpent bowed. He was simply told to bow to every master.

It was just the moment when the cracking sounded throughout the room.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Viper looked down. A shock came over her face.

Her child began to hatch.

"It's trying to get out!" she shouted, attracting the attention of her team and father. "My child and your grandson wants to see us!"

Great Master Viper's gasped in shock, when he understood what was happening. "Oh my god, oh my god, I will have a grandson"

He and the others had to move away to give the mother and the hatching child more space.

More new holes appeared in the egg, and Viper wrapped her tail around it.

The small head of the infant was already protruding from the shell, trying to get out of its spherical prison at all costs. The young mother smiled and helped her newborn destroy the shell, using her toothless gums.

Viper saw the most beautiful creature in her whole life.

The female serpent took with her tail, closer to the eyes.

It was an albino viper. Its red pupils were small, but were still visible through its mother's eyes. The most visible difference were black marks around its eyes.

Viper's father pushed in on the bed, and took his grandson from his daughter's tail.

"Hey, I need to check something"

Great Master Viper looked on the newborn's lips. The old serpent sighed with relief when he saw small fangs in them.

"You see, my little son has inherited something from you" the female serpent smirked. "Although he looks completely different compared to us"

"I don't care how he looks like" he replied, playing with his fresh born grandchild. "Albinos are meaning lucky in my culture"

Viper giggled and smiled.

"I hope he will be a good kung fu fighter, like you father"

Great Master Viper's smile changed into sadness after hearing it.

"Yeah" he sadly nodded. "I hope too"


	9. Chapter 9

Great Master Viper sighed and laid his grandson on the floor. The newborn snake, without losing a moment, slithered to everyone around to get to know them all.

He started with Mantis, who strangely was smaller than the baby. The hatchling and the little insect looked at each other from the meter.

"What'cha gonna do, huh?" Mantis spoke with a smirk. "I am not afraid to be devoured by you!"

The young Viper growled by making a charming sound and started to lick playfully little insect's head. Mantis did not move, as after a few seconds, the small insect was all in saliva.

"Yeah, yeah. I began to like you too kiddo" the small insect crossed his tibial spines and rolled his eyes. "But now, slid away from my eyes!"

The viper hatchling growled again, slithering to Mantis' best friend.

Monkey.

The monkey chuckled and knelt down, to have better eye contact with the small one in the room.

"What a small cutie mommy's boy" the mammal said with a mawkish tone, caressing newborn's scaly chin to which the little reptile purred. "Who is the most beautiful here? You"

Monkey stopped caressing hatchling's chin and and looked at the child with a smirk.

"Go, others are waiting for you"

The newborn did not growl, slithering closer to the large Crane.

The tall avian seeing the baby snake coming next to him, raised his left leg, as his eyes turned to the little toddler.

"Greetings" the avian cackled. "How are you?"

The viper hatchling raised his eyebrow and then slid closer to Crane's legs, while the confused bird did not take his eyes off him. He himself became nervous, afraid that the small poisonous snake would bite him. But he was surprised once again, feeling a gentle touch of scaly body.

The hatchling with limbless body hugged the avian's legs.

"Oh, I understand" Crane softly smiled. "You need some caress"

The avian gingerly touched Viper's son with the beak. Specifically, he nuzzled the back of the child and the back of his tail. A small snake after the contact of the beak of a large bird with its back, began to hiss sweetly.

Everyone around them thought it was the sensitive point of the child.

"Crane, don't do those kinds of things for this small child" Shifu stated with blank expression. "Although it may look like fun, you can damage newborn's spine with such actions"

"W-what?" Crane asked with concern. "I did not know about it"

Tigress took the small viper in both of her claws.

"Now you know" she continued, causing Crane to blush.

The feline came closer to Viper with newborn in her both claws, as he leaped out on the bed with its mother. It was no longer necessary to push a small snake under the mother's belly. The infant had enough energy to came closer under his mother.

Tigress then looked at her friend.

"How do you want to call him, my dear?" she asked with a concern, caring for her friend.

Viper tapped her chin with a tail. She had to think a little because after all, it was her first offspring. It was a little difficult for her.

"Hm, Let me think for a while" Viper said as Tigress sat cross-legged in front of her.  
"Ok, ok" Tigress shrugged. "I know it's a hard decision"

The female serpent tapped her chin one more time focusing on her thoughts. A perfect name for her descendant finally came to her head.

The female viper snake widely smiled.

"Ba Lan" she said after a moment of reflection.

Even if no one else noticed, Shifu and Great Master Master had already left the room after hearing the Viper's child's name.

(Meanwhile in the kitchen)

"Great Master Viper?" the elder red panda asked the elder serpent sitting in front of him. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Great Master Viper finished sweetening his tea.

"I will say it briefly" the elder viper said with a grim tone. "I do not think my daughter and grandson would have a good life here"

The elder red panda raised his eyebrow.

"What do you actually mean?" Shifu asked as he looked at the old snake. "Viper was living good here"  
"WAS living" Great Master Viper highlighted with a blank expression. "...Until Ba Lan, her son and my grandson was born"

Shifu crossed his eyebrows.

"I still don't understand, what do you mean"

The elder viper snake sighed.

"I think my daughter and her son will live better with their owns, than here with other different-looking inhabitants of this town"

The red panda's eyelid angirly twitched. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Great Master Viper maliciously laughed.

"Oh Shifu, Shifu" he said with a smirk, slowly drinking tea from his cup. "You still do not understand what I mean?"

The red panda after those words finally understood what he meant.

"Do you want to tell me that you want to take both of them to your village?"

The elder serpent nodded.

"That's right"

Shifu fought furiously with his paws on the table.

"What you imagine?" he shouted with a surprise. "Do you think you will take them both out of my sight?"

Great Master Viper sighed again.

"This is my family, and they must live with me" the elder serpent said. "But do not worry. You and your students will still be able to visit her"

"So they will live with you?" the elder red panda raised his eyebrow.  
"Of course, they…" he said. "...not"

Shifu gasped in shock. "You want to throw them on the pavement"

The serpent shook his head.

"No" the elder viper giggled. "I am rich enough to buy a home in my village and send my daughter money for taxes"

Shifu sighed with relief. "Good enough"

"So?" Great Master Viper smirked. "What do you think about it?"

Master Shifu hesitated, but after some minutes of silence finally answered snake's question.

"If they will live well there" he continued. "Then I agree"

Great Master Viper smiled, leaving the chair, on which he sat.

"A wise decision" he whispered, before heading to his daughter's room.


	10. Chapter 10

Great Master Viper arrived to his daughter's student barrack first, before Shifu could. When Viper saw her father, her face became more cheerful.

"Daddy!" she shouted in his direction, that he would come closer to her, as the old man himself listened to her, sliding toward his pretty daughter.

The rest of The Furious Five were also smiling, as they bowed to him. They rarely had the opportunity to meet a family member of one of their group.

Great Master Viper gingerly stroked his grandson's head, then glanced back at his daughter. "You will not have to worry anymore, daughter"

"W-what are y-you talking about dad?" Despite the anxiety that the female serpent was feeling, she did not stop smiling. "I do not get tired of anything"

The elder viper sadly smiled, nuzzling his daughter's chin.

"You don't need to lie, sweetheart" he continued, still not pulling his nostrils away from her neck. "You probably feel awful, sharing the entire Jade Palace with the low class you call your friends"

The whole student barrack filled with gasps from other animals in the room. Did Great Master Viper called all of his daughter's friends "low class"?

"DAD!?" Viper hissed with shock in her voice, darting her blue eyes between him and her friends, who stood like monuments after hearing, how their friend's father called them. "What was that supposed to mean?"

Great Master Viper rolled his eyes with a smirk. "I said you are you're not lowered enough, to be their best friend, do you?"

Viper took her father's eyes off, looking at her already angered friends. At the same time she waved her tail nervously.

"Please friends, forgive him his words" the female serpent nervously giggled, trying to calm down the rest of The Furious Five. "My father does not know, what is he saying"  
"Oh? no, no sweetheart" to her surprise, the old man laughed. "You come back to your home, no matter if you want to"

Viper's eyes filled with tears, as she understood, what he meant.

"I can not go home yet, I still have to learn kung-fu, being taught under Master Shifu's eye!" she tried to find an excuse at all costs.

Great Master Viper rolled his eyes again, but this time more annoyed.

"You are a mother. You finished your studies after giving birth to Ba Lan. Now you have to look after your fresh born son"

Tears began to flow from Viper's eyes.

"B-but d-da-" the female serpent tried to explain, but was suddenly cut by her elder father.  
"No buts!" Great Master Viper shouted firmly. "It will be better for Ba Lan to live with his own race"  
"B-bu-" Viper stammered, being scared of her father and feeling more uncomfortable.  
"NO BUTS!" Viper's father shouted more angrier, unintentionally scaring his grandson under his mother's belly. "The mother's job is caring for her adolescent child"

The elder viper sighed and looked at his daughter, who weeped being afraid of his behavior. He felt sorry, however, when he saw his grandson trembling at the sight of him

"Listen" the elder serpent stated, this time more softly. "I tried my best to raise you to be a great kung-fu master and I'am proud of you for your successes, but please… You are now the mother, which she must teach her child what she has learned in her youth"

Viper did not said anything. She was tired of stress at this moment, but her Viper father decided to upset her. He turned back to look at his daughter's friends, who seemed embarrassed. Well… except Tigress, who seemed angry.

"Get out" the feline growled angirly. "Your daughter suffered too much because of you"

Great Master Viper shrugged and slid next to the exit door. Standing at the exit, he turned back to his daughter,

"You have a few minutes to pack the most needed things and take Ba Lan with you" he said. "Caravan, which we will drive, is filled with comfortable hay"

Tigress could not stand it and pushed the old snake with force out of the door, closing the door in front of his eyes.

"Shoo!"

Viper pulled her nose and looked at her feline friend. there were less tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much"

Tigress smiled, patting the female serpent on the back, to make her feel better. It probably worked, because the Viper smiled. Tigress also smiled.

"It will be ok Vip" the feline said. "Will you send us postcards from the viper village, after beginning to live there?"  
"Of course" the female serpent hissed with a smile. "But please… help me to pack"

After those words, Great Master Viper stuck his head out of the door, peeking into his daughter's room.

"Forgot to mention" he whispered with a smile under his grey mustache. "You can take two of your low-class friends if you like"

Viper smiled and glanced around her friends.

Tigress declinatorily waved her both paws. "Do not look at me. I have to study"

The female serpent shrugged and then glanced at Crane.

The avian shook his head.

"Are you crazy? I need to help Tigress umm" he blushed. "I her studying"

The snake, feeling unsure, moved her eyes to Monkey and Mantis. They looked as if they were whispering to each other, or gossiping about something else.

The female serpent coughed, to get attention of them.

They both stood at attention when they heard a signal that someone wanted to talk to them. As soon as they saw the eyes of their colleagues on them, they both shook not knowing what is happening.

"Umm?" Monkey raised his eyebrow, nervously chuckling "Wanted to talk with us about something?"  
"Huh?" Mantis continued with confused tone in his voice. "We are somehow not in the subject"

The female serpent whispered something to the Tigress' ear, as if she did not want to say anything for those two. The feline was only listening to this with a smirk on her face. The feline's orange eyes were also "listening" to this.


	11. Chapter 11

**Leave a review, If you liked this chapter :)**

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Great Master Viper sighed as he waited for his daughter outside. Right next, was a wagon full of hay, that was being pulled by a little group of another snakes. Probably soldiers from his village, that volunteered in this task.

The old snake groaned impatiently when his daughter stayed there a little longer than they had agreed together. Few minutes longer for an eye. But despite this, the elder viper decided to let go of the row, thinking that his little warrior needs to say her words of goodbye to friends.

Great Master Viper lowered his head with a heavy sigh.

He exaggerated a little... or even maybe a little more than that. He felt that he had done wrong, behaving like a distasteful royal among his daughter's housemates by calling them a low class.

The serpent knew he should apologize, but told himself that deed would damage his honor, which he himself built for such a long period of protecting his own village from invaders.

He was knocked out of his thoughts, when the door of the Jade Palace gradually opened with a terrible loud sound, that could destroy someone's eardrums.

When the old man looked at the source of sound, his snout took the warmer and caring form.

His daughter along with her sleeping son, wrapped in the blanket that was also tied on her chest, slowly slid from the stairs, that led to the building on the mountain.

"What did it take you so long?" he asked.

The viper turned her lowered head toward her father.

"Ba Lan started crying, when he heard that he was forced to leave his birthplace" she mumbled silently, peeking down to the ground. "I had to calm my baby down with friends"

Great Master Viper looked at his grandson with his vertical pupils on green sclera.

The little white snake was sleeping, sometimes leaning its head on the mother's neck. Well, the kid deserved to rest after leaving the eggshell.

Viper slowly climbed onto the wagon. After body contact with hay, she looked forward selflessly. The older snake sighed and sat down next to his daughter, signaling a team of guards to start pulling.

The vehicle started moving forcing Viper to shake with fear. The Great Master Viper to calm her down, gingerly patted her on the back with his own tail.

The young mother stopped trembling, her blue eyes became more meek. After a few seconds she looked right at the houses and passers, that began to disappear just beyond her contact.

The elder snake looked at the road, when one thought occurred to him. He glanced at his daughter again.

"Sweetheart?" he spoke. "Do any of your... friends decided to go along with you?"

The female serpent looked forward briefly with a smile. Her eyelid twitched nervously.

Great Master Viper knew his daughter well. Even he could tell it was an uncertain smile.

"N-no" she stammered, shedding a tear that landed directly on the hay. "Even Mantis and Monkey s-said, they have their o-own important duties"

The old snake sighed.

"It's so terrible to hear" Great Master Viper hissed with sad tone. "I can't imagine how you must feel"

Great Master Viper hugged his daughter, but she didn't react. Her eyes followed the buildings as if in a trance, which the wagon avoided.

Viper's father felt something wrong was with his daughter when she started fidgeting at the sight of one of the buildings.

The noodle shop.

"DAD! LET ME GO!" Viper tried to break free from her father's embrace. "I NEED TO TELL SOMETHING FOR MR. PING!"

Great Master Viper felt concerned, when his own daughter began to hit his face so that he would let her go. However, this did not give the planned results, because her father was a strong player.

She began to cry and strangely, It was the only thing that actually worked.

A moment of inattention and Viper's father stumbled backwards leaving her free.

The viper quickly looked at her son and gently licked his head.

"Hold on, Po" she hissed. "I just want to have a word with your daddy"

It took only a split second for her to jump off the vehicle and run towards the restaurant. The viper began to push each encountered creature out of the way until she finally stood at the door.

Using her tail, the female snake knocked on the door and looked around.

Her father and several other vipers were slithering in her direction, which caused the 20 year old snake to punch the door couple of times in desperation.

"PLEASE!" Viper cried with a mix of fright. "MR. PING!"

The door didn't move.

"Oh no..." Viper trembled. "N-no one i-is there!?"

She had a father and his soldiers on her tail and were getting closer to her.

Viper was shocked when she heard the sound of a padlock and then seeing door to the shop slowly open. The serpent felt relieved when she saw a sad goose behind them.

"Mr. Ping!" she hissed happily. "It's very good to see you"

"I'm sorry" Mr. Ping sighed. "...but I don't accept customers today and for the next few days"

"No, no, no, It's not the point" Viper shook her head. "Sir, I want to tell you something"

Mr. Ping's eyes became angrier.

"I don't have time for stupid things. I am in mourning" the goose snarled being reluctant to talk. "Cut it short!"

"I know I may sound crazy, but please, believe me"

"Talk faster!" Mr. Ping growled with annoyed look, stressing the young mother in front.

The viper took a deep breath.

"Mr. Ping, your son is ali–"

Viper was suddenly pulled back by two soldiers, who appeared right behind her. The female serpent tried to break free from their grip.

"W-what the?" the goose backtracked with shocked expression. "What is the meaning of this?"

An older snake looked out from the doorstep.

"I'm sorry for disturbing your peace, sir" Great Master Viper glanced at his daughter with sadness in his voice. "My daughter just has a bad time"

Mr. Ping shrugged with indifference.

"I would not call the period I go through "peace"" Mr. Ping stated, as he glanced with shock, when he noticed the small snake attached to female serpent's chest. "Does your daughter have a child?"

The elder serpent nodded.

"I hope it will have a better future than my son" the goose sighed. "One day, he found out he was Dragon Warrior and other day, he died, protecting someone"

"I'm sorry for your loss, sir" Great Master Viper tried to be nice as he could.

"Whatever" Mr. Ping sighed. "Now I don't have time to talk, so excuse me!"

The goose closed the door.


	12. Chapter 12

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**9 YEARS LATER**

Another day has come in the village of vipers. As always, the mother prepared food for her offspring, before she could wake him up.

It was not a poor family, that lived in poverty. It had enough money for the most necessary equipment.

The female serpent took an occasional job as the ribbon dancer, dancing in theaters during plays, to get money for the ingredients needed for dinner. If that wasn't enough, she earned money from her father for important expenses and taxes.

During her work, she received more money than she planned, thanks to her former fame as a kung fu master from group called The Furious Five.

Sadly and with a heavy heart, the snake had to give up her martial arts career and return to her homeland, when her first son and only child was born. She also was forced to leave her best friends she cared about.

Viper had no choice. But to not understand her wrong, she REALLY loved her son.

With a sigh, the female serpent began pouring the soup into two bowls on the table. It wasn't a problem for the female serpent with her tail within reach.

When Viper finished, she adjusted the pillows tied on the sharp edges of the table. If she didn't tied them, Ba Lan would definitely have painfully hit it with his head.

The snake thought her son was weak and fragile.

Just in case, she tied a pillow to his chair.

Perfect. Nothing threatens her beloved son now.

"Ba Lan!" the viper called out with a soft tone. "Dinner!"

The female serpent smiled, hearing the familiar sound of sliding on a wooden floor, but felt delighted when she saw a small albino viper standing just by the half-open door.

"Good evening, mom" the young serpent smiled.

"Oh, there you are sweetie" the adult female snake approached her little one. She gently opened his snout to check if his fangs were in place. Fortunately, they were. "Sit down at the table"

The young albino serpent slowly approached the nearest chair in contact, in front of which the soup cooled.

"No, not this one" Viper shook her head, before pointing with her tail a chair with a pillow on it. "This one"

The young viper sighed and with lowered head slithered toward the chair, his mother told him to sit.

"Hold on!" Viper appeared next to her son, causing Ba Lan to jump. The female serpent grabbed him and gently lifted. "Let me help you"

"Mom" the little snake rolled his vertical eyes with annoyed look. "I can climb there myself"

"Talk!" the adult female viper hissed firmly, being overwhelmed by her responsibility. "Without me, you would be light as a feather"

With one lift of the tail, Ba Lan found himself on the chair. After this, the overprotective mother grunted firmly and sat down opposite him.

They started to peacefully eat. The sound of tinkling spoons and slurping was heard throughout the kitchen, which disturbed the awkward silence.

Viper, spotting that it is quiet and her son was barely eating, coughed to get her offspring's attention. At this Ba Lan quickly raised his head forward.

"Um, sweetheart?" the female serpent asked with concern. "Are the noodles warm enough for you? You're barely eating them"

The young albino snake looked back at his bowl with a shrug.

"They are good, mommy" he stated with a nod. "...but my feelings are more complicated right now"

Even without raising his head, Ba Lan knew his mother was staring at him.

"I think I was a panda before"

"W-what?" the mother asked, intrigued. "W-what do you m-mean by that?"

The young albino viper sighed, feeling free to confess it to someone without difficulty.

"I do not know how to explain it" Ba Lan growled with a little uneasy expression. "I have the feeling that I used to be a panda and lived with my adoptive fa–"

"SAY NO MORE!" the adult female serpent suddenly snapped, scaring the little snake by forcing him to lean on the back of the chair in fear. "I FORBID YOU TO SAY SUCH THINGS AT THE TABLE!"

"W-what?" Ba Lan asked, agitated. "D-did I said som–"

Viper took a breath to calm down at least slightly.

"Did I not make myself clear?" her firm tone returned. "I'm not allowing you to say this kind of things next to the table. And in general"

Ba Lan felt confused.

"But mother... Did I say something that hurt you?"

The adult female viper hesitated before she shook her head.

"No" she replied with a sigh. "Can you just not talk about it, please?"

The young albino snake nodded.

"Yes, mother"

"Good" the mother hissed. "After you will finish your noodles, I'll lead you to your bedroom for sleep"

Ba Lan raised his head again.

"But mom, it is the middle of a clear da-"

"Do you question my authority?" The adult female serpent rolled her eyes with irritation.

The little snake lowered his head with sadness, that he offended his mother.

"No, mommy" the young creature bowed in her direction. "Forgive me my words"

"I forgive you" The adult viper smiled. "Now eat and get ready to sleep"

After a few minutes of eating in silence, Ba Lan finished his meal. His mother accompanied him to the bedroom and put him to the bed. When she was about to leave her son's room, Viper realized he had something to say to her.

"What is it, sweetheart?" she asked with a concern in her hissing voice. "Have you hurt yourself somewhere and didn't told about it?"

Ba Lan shook his head, letting her know that this is not what he meant.

"I wanted to ask about my daddy" he stated. "Why did he leave us?"

The female viper flinched having no idea what to say to her offspring. She could not just say that he was created during the ritual she performed.

"Let's talk about it other day" the adult snake kissed her son's forehead. "Now sleep"

The little serpent yawned, when his mother slid to the door.

"I love you, mommy"

Viper turned to her son.

"I love you to-"

The little snake was already asleep.

"I love you too, Po" she sighed, as the soft smile appeared on her snout.


	13. Chapter 13

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**9 YEARS EARLIER**

Viper woke up with a terrified scream and glanced around her new bedroom. The first thing she heard was her son's crying. When the young mother realized that it was just a dream she began to cry.

HE appeared in her dreams, again. HE has been in her dreams, to this day.

The female serpent closed her blue eyes, when more tears rolled down her cheeks. She saw Po blaming her for her mistakes and bled on the floor.

Viper tried to help him, but he bled too much. Every time she put a bandage on a panda, new wounds appeared on his body.

Guilt tormented her from the insides, so much, that it was the only thing she dreamed of.

Forget about it, she had to take care of her own child now

The viper got up from her bed and went to the crib where her baby was weeping. Putting her tail on rail, she began to rock gently in the style of a boat.

The rocking only made the crying little snake more emotional, and made the little boy unbearable.

"S-shut up!" Viper's eyelid twitched, while she listened to his cries. "SHUT UP!"

It did nothing when the young albino viper started screeching louder. The infant's screams immediately turned to that loud that they could wake up the whole village and mistake it for old fashioned music.

The adult female snake grabbed her head, trying to keep her common sense.

"Calm down Viper" the young mother tried to calm herself down. "It's just a little child. Your child"

To calm herself down, the young mother sighed.

"You probably just want a snack..." Viper noticed, her son calmed down after she raised him in front of eyes. "You must be hungry, don't ya?"

Ba Lan hissed happily at the mention of this word.

"I have always known, it's you..." Viper smiled. "...Po"

She trembled after mentioning her friend's name.

On the answer, a small snake tilted his head and babbled with questioning look.

"Oh, dummy me, I shouldn't say stupid things, seeing my pride starving" the female serpent giggled, putting her beloved infant on her head. "Let's go eat"

With a heavy blue eyes, the young mother slithered to the door and opened them. Stepping out along with her baby into the corridor, she spotted the pantry door. It was easy to recognize from the difference, that it was the only wooden door in her new home. Rest were sliding doors, that looked more stylistic.

"I hope your grandpa left them open and full of food" Viper patted her son's head. "...and mommy will not have to use her lock picking skill"

Viper slowly put her tail on the door handle and gently pushed them. She sighed with relief when it turned out to be open. Putting her head inside, she saw several shelves and bags filled with food and other plates decorated with tasty-looking meals.

Along with her little one, she went inside with a nervous smile.

"Before you eat anything" the female adult serpent said to her son, approaching one of the nearest shelves. "I need to make sure this food is fresh"

The thing that caught her eye was plate with steamed buns. Curiously, she picked up one of the rolls and sniffed it.

The sweet smell indicated that this food was a type of dessert and was fit to eat, but the young mother had her doubts. Still uncertain of her own thoughts, Viper bit it.

Her vertical eyes widened almost completely her blue sclera, when her taste buds felt taste of her childhood.

Custard. Those were Custard Buns.

When Viper was young and sad that could not help her own father in protecting the village, her mother always did them to somehow comfort her in all of this. In this way it became her favorite pastry.

A single tear flowed from the viper's eye. Her mother remembered... She actually remembered!

With a smile on her snout, Viper reached for the second bun to eat it. When she raised the second confectionery, the young mother was thrown out of her trance when she heard her child cry.

The female snake understood that she could not forget about her starving little baby.

"I'm so sorry, little one" she said with sadness, regretting her behavior. "I almost forgot about you"

Viper put the steamed bun on her head, so that Ba Lan could eat it freely.

The small snake began to eat without hesitation as soon as the food came into view. He started by biting off the dough, ending on filling.

"Eat slowly, sweetie" Viper whispered to her child with concern in her voice. "...otherwise you'll choke"

She knew, however, that her son had to eat well to feel better, so she tried to keep herself silent during her company at his feast.

Ba Lan had to be very hungry, otherwise how to explain that he devoured the whole dumpling in a few minutes without letting out any breath.

"Well, well, well" Viper giggled, seeing her son falling asleep being rolled up in a lasso. "Someone needs a good nap"

Leaving the pantry and closing the door behind her. The female snake went towards the bedroom. When she was inside, slowly put her baby to the crib where he slept early.

Bending down, she kissed his head and after that, turned her head to the bed.

Viper yawned. It meant that her duties were over.

"It seems like time for my dream"

The young mother sighed, putting her head on a soft pillow and covering up with a quilt, her eyes looked at Ba Lan's crib again.

"Good night, Po" she whispered with anxiety in her voice. "... and please, we are friends, stop scaring me in dreams"

Viper yawned again, when she felt her eyes had enough of looking, but she still tried to keep them open. On the one hand, she was afraid of nightmares, and on the other, she dreamed of talking to her friend.

After these thoughts, the female snake fell asleep.


End file.
